DALLAS (NCBWA) – The TCU Horned Frogs are No. 1 nationally for the first time in school history in the 2011 National Collegiate Baseball Writers poll.

Coach Jim Schlossnagle' s squad finished 54-14 a year and third in the university' s inaugural trip to the NCAA World Series after downing preseason No. 1 Texas in the 2010 NCAA Austin Super Regional. The 2010 NCBWA Coach of the Year numbers ' 10 NCBWA Freshman of the Year and team ace (16-0 to lead the nation in wins) Matt Purke among a stellar cast of returnees. The Horned Frogs also gained a No. 1 rating in the pre-2011 Collegiate Baseball poll.

Defending NCAA champ South Carolina is No. 8 in the opening survey while 2010 NCAA Division I runnerup UCLA has been picked at No. 2 for ' 11. The TCU top spot in 2011 is the first-ever preseason No. 1 for the Mountain West Conference.

The NCBWA continues its tradition of NCAA Division I polls for the 14th year with its 2011 preseason predictions and weekly surveys. Weekly polls will resume from Feb. 21-June 28 with the finale following the 65th annual 2011 NCAA World Series in Omaha, Neb.

The poll voters come from 40 college baseball writers and related media persons from throughout the nation. After a preseason Top 35 listing, the remainder of the polls will feature a national Top 30 beginning with the Feb. 21 NCBWA survey.

LSU held down the No. 1 slot in both the 1998 and 2001 NCBWA preseason selections while other No. 1 placers in the initial polls are Southern California (1999), Miami (Fla.) (2000), Stanford (2002), Cal State Fullerton (2005), Rice (2004, 07), Arizona State (2008), and North Carolina (2009). The three final No. 1 poll teams prior to LSU in 2009 came from the Far West in Fresno State (2008) and two-time NCAA champ Oregon State (2006 and ' 07). Texas was No. 1 in the pre-2003, 2006 and '10 NCBWA national rankings.

This week's poll has representation by 12 different conferences among the 300 baseball-playing schools in the 2011 NCAA Division I ranks. The polls of 2010 had teams from 15 different Division I conferences rated at least one week.

Founded in 1962, the NCBWA is dedicated to the advancement of college baseball. Membership is open to writers, broadcasters and publicists of the sport. Members receive a membership card, directory, newsletter updates and official votes in the Dick Howser Trophy, Regional Players of the Year and NCBWA All-America voting. The NCBWA also sponsors the Pro-Line Athletic Division I Players of the Week, the Stopper of the Year, and publication and writing contests.